


Unburdening

by eerian_sadow



Category: Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Making Friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-10-09
Updated: 2008-10-09
Packaged: 2018-09-22 02:20:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9577907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eerian_sadow/pseuds/eerian_sadow
Summary: Perceptor has decided it's high time to get to know Skyfire.





	

**Author's Note:**

> for [](http://kirin-saga.livejournal.com/profile)[kirin_saga](http://kirin-saga.livejournal.com/), who requested that I write some Skyfire/Perceptor. It turned into friendship fluff. Hope that’s okay.

Skyfire was alone, as he most often was. Perceptor supposed this shouldn’t surprise him; the larger mech came from a much more peaceful age and didn’t really understand the Autobots with whom he was forced to cast his lot. Skyfire was a scientist and a pacifist—he carried a weapon only because being weaponless in his new world meant instant deactivation.

Perceptor missed that mindset in himself; the war had taken too much from too many.

“How is your research going?” the red mech asked, setting a ration down next to Skyfire.

The white mech looked up, startled. “Hello, Perceptor. I didn’t hear you come in.”

“You did seem to be absorbed in your reading,” Perceptor replied. “What are you studying?”

“Human communication methods.” Skyfire picked up his ration and took a drink. “Did you know that there are over six thousand commonly spoken languages on this world? And that some members of the species actually use their hands for communication when their auditory or vocal capabilities are irreparably damaged? Or…I’m sorry. You probably don’t even care. I’m sure you were asking out of politeness. That’s what every other Autobot around here does.”

“Actually, I find the humans quite fascinating.” Perceptor gave him a smile. “And I would never ask about someone’s research unless I was interested in sharing their knowledge. I am a scientist too, you know.”

“No, I didn’t know. I’m afraid I don’t know much about the other Autobots at all.” The larger mech set his energon down before looking away. “I only stay because I have nowhere else to go. These mechs are not my friends.”

 _They would be if you would let them,_ Perceptor thought. He remained silent however, feeling that Skyfire was—perhaps—finally shedding a burden he had carried since he woke to the war.

“No one cares about me past my usefulness as a soldier or a transport. I was built this way to carry supplies to research outposts, not troops and weapons to battlefields.” Skyfire buried his face in his hands. “The fighting is driving me mad. I had to ask Prime to relieve me of duty just to stay sane. I’m sure you can imagine the things I was called then.”

Indeed, Perceptor could—though he couldn’t imagine any of them having come from Optimus Prime’s personal troop. “I would think that coward and traitor would be the best of them,” he said softly. “But not everyone thinks that of you. Some of us think that taking a stand for your own beliefs is more important than blindly following everyone around you.”

Skyfire looked at him then, his expression clearly stating that he thought he was being patronized.

The red mech gave him a small smile. “I learned to fight because not fighting would cause the people I loved to be deactivated. I chose to take up arms to protect the mechs and femmes I love. You chose not to for the same reasons, I think. That might make you the most courageous mech I know.”

Skyfire studied him for a long time, mistrust lurking in the set of his facial features. Perceptor thought that he looked ready to be betrayed again at any moment. When the smaller mech said nothing else, Skyfire relaxed a bit.

“Thank you,” he said softly.

“Drink your energon,” Perceptor replied, “And tell me about your research.”

Those words spoken between two scientists meant more than any others ever would, anyway.  



End file.
